“People can be tricky to read, especially a man who’s gone over a beautiful woman.”
She stood, and he stepped back instinctively.
“Why?” Her gaze was hyper focused on him. Was she trying to distract herself from the awfulness of this case, or was she as interested in him as he was in her? “Why would a man who’s gone over a beautiful woman be tricky to read?” She tilted her chin up, impertinent and more appealing than any person he’d ever encountered.
“Well.” Zeke rubbed at his neck, choosing his words carefully so he wouldn’t trap himself. He knew how to talk to, inspire, instruct, and command men. His one failed attempt at a relationship and his avoidance of women in general proved he had no clue how to relate to or talk to women. “Men will do stupid things to impress a woman, sometimes hiding who they truly are or acting like a ‘nice gent’ when inside they’re a sneaky, overeager …” He wasn’t sure how to express where he was going in mixed company.
“Yes?” She smirked as if his stammering was hilarious. “Don’t stop now, Rambo. You’ve got my complete attention. I often find myself confused by the male gender and would love some explanation for how you men tick.” She fluttered those long eyelashes at him.
He studied her, and a laugh burst out of him before he could bite it back. “No you don’t.”
“Excuse me?” She was smiling, but he wondered if he was walking into a trap. Mia appeared so sweet and innocent, but she had real-world experience with dating, kissing, touching, all of it. The whole intimate situation he avoided like the plague.
“You know exactly how men tick,” he said, giving her a challenging look and lamely hoping he was wrong and she wasn’t that woman who dated and dumped men for the fun of it. It wasn’t her fault that she was insanely gorgeous, smart, successful, fun to talk to, and appealing. Men probably begged her for one dinner date.
Mia was out of his league in every way. A woman like her could toy with him and break him before he’d even realized how deep in trouble his heart was. Just another reason to add to the list of why he’d never get into another relationship.
“You could have any man you wanted begging for your attention in an instant,” he said.
“Really?” Her smile grew. “Any man?”
He instantly recognized his mistake and backed away. She could have him eating out of the palm of her hand in an instant. Even if she wasn’t the date-and-dump-them type, he wasn’t the relationship type and he was on an assignment here. He needed to be smart and keep his head on straight.
She tracked him. Like the most beautiful tiger tracking a big, dumb water buffalo. He’d seen that on some nature channel before. The sleek, gorgeous tiger taking down the massive buffalo. It had been inspiring and sobering at the same time.
Mia followed him step by step until his back hit the nearby wall. Zeke didn’t let anyone back him into a corner. He hated being pushed around. Why, then, was he not hating this moment? His skin tingled, already anticipating her touching him, and it felt really, really incredible to have this incredible woman pursuing him.
Mia spread her hands wide and rested them on the wall on either side of his shoulders. Then she leaned in until her body almost touched his. Not quite. She left a centimeter, but it was near enough. He couldn’t move without brushing against her somewhere. Zeke was on fire from head to toe, and for the first time in his life, he wanted to brush against another person.
This woman was half his size, and she had him pinned. It should’ve been hilarious. It probably looked hilarious. He’d never been further from laughing. He was centimeters away from hauling her close and seeing how it felt to have her body pressed against his. His hands needed to explore the smooth curves of her back. His pulse raced and his fingers twitched as if itching to touch her. He clenched his fists. He had to stay in control.
“So, Rambo … Captain Zeke … super stud of the American military.” Her accent was as alluring as her beauty. She smiled up at him. Her smile was somehow sweet and calculating at the same time. What was she about? Was she the angelic woman or the snarling tigress who would use him and then rip him apart? “There’s a man I’d really like to havebeggingfor my attention, but so far he’s kept his distance from me.”
Kept his distance? This was keeping his distance? True, he hadn’t made the move and he wasn’t touching her, but he had never been in someone’s control like this. His parents had tried to control him, but his mind had been his own and he’d finally been able to defy them and get away.
Mia was in control of him right now. Completely. This woman could take his mind, his body, his heart, his soul, anything she wanted in her delicate hands.
She bit at her lip, and Zeke was about to combust.
His hands lifted as if they had a will of their own. He wanted to touch so many soft, appealing parts of Mia, but he needed to be careful. Needed to start slowly. He cupped the smooth line of her jaw with both of his palms and she let out a sweet, contented sigh that made his stomach flip-flop.
He’d never done anything like this. With Rachel, he’d done the obligatory hugs and kisses and it had been fine. She had told him what he should do and how he should hold her, and he knew it had frustrated her that he wasn’t drawn to her. With Mia, he didn’t need any kind of instruction, no matter how unfamiliar the subject matter was. With Mia, he was drawn to her stronger than the need to always have weapons on hand.
Zeke’s fingers fanned out along her neck and into her soft hair, every nerve ending in his fingertips firing. He experienced a sense of touch he’d never thought possible for him. His left thumb traced along her chin while his right thumb explored the gentle curve of her fuller bottom lip.
She let out a telling groan and Zeke’s entire body went into hyper-drive. He didn’t know if he was lost or found. He knew nothing besides Mia was the softest, most enticing angel he’d never known existed and he was going to lean down, replace his thumb with his mouth, and taste the softness of her lips.
She blinked up at him, her dark eyes beguiling him and her expression saying she wanted his kiss every bit as much as he wanted to kiss her.
Was this truly happening? To him?
Usually, Zeke did things quick and decisive. There was no reason to do anything quick right now. The Deltas and her security guys were watching, and Zeke’s job was to stay close to his perfect woman. He had all night to softly kiss Mia and get acquainted with her lips.
A door opened and closed, and footsteps entered the house. Someone was watching the cameras and someone else was patrolling. As long as no one intruded on the sanctity of this room, it wasn’t his concern. His only concern was …
Her safety.
It was absolutely Zeke’s responsibility to make sure Mia was safe, and he couldn’t be prepared to defend her if he was disarmed and backed against a wall.